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REV. WILLIAM YOKOM. 



REMINISCENCES 

OF A MINISTER'S 

DAUGHTER, WIFE AND WIDOW, 

BY 

MRS. H. A. TERWILLIGAR SHARPE, 

n 

SEYMOUR, CONN. 



1911. 



3 



REMINISCENCES OF THE DAUGHTER. 



My earliest recollections are of a godly home 
where my father, Rev. William Yokom, and 
mother, knelt around the family altar with 
their children morning and evening. Never 
were the duties so pressing that my father 
could not take time to read a portion of God's 
word and kneel for a few moments in prayer 
before commencing the work of the day. 

He had a line physique, being six feet in 
height and weighing from 160 to 180 pounds. 
His manner was reserved with strangers but 
very affable with his family. He would romp 
and play with us children in the evenings but 
when he thought we bad played enough he 
would say, "It is time to stop now." We 
always knew what that meant; for while he 
was very kind he always required obedience. 
He rarely punished us, but a look or a word 
from him was enough to insure obedience. 

My mother was a Methodist minister's 
daughter, and said she would never marry a 
minister. She knew too well the hardships 
they had to undergo in those days. Father 



4 

was not a minister when they were married, 
but very soon after felt called of God to preach 
the gospel. Mother could not consent for sev- 
eral years. During that time they lived on a 
farm. 

My mother was very gifted in prayer and I 
remember a little amusing incident which 
occurred when I was about six years old and 
we were still on the farm. One Sunday morn- 
ing it rained, but mother wanted to attend 
church as usual. It was very muddy and 
and father said, "If you go you will have to 
wear my high top boots," and she even con- 
sented to do that for the sake of going to 
church. For some reason the pastor called 
upon her to make the closing prayer, although 
her father, Rev. David Griffin, and my father, 
who was a local preacher at that time, were 
present. After they got home father laughing- 
ly said "it was because she wore his boots." 

Shortly after that, my uncle and aunt, who 
were living with my paternal grand-parents, 
took the black measles and both died, leaving 
the old people alone. My father sold his farm 
and made arrangements to take grandpa's. 
As there were five children in our family he 
did not think it wise to go into the same house 
with old people and decided to build a house 
near them. In those days when they put up 
a building they made what they called a rais- 



5 

ing. Father decided to have it on a certain 
afternoon and had invited the neighbors to 
come and help. He went over in the morning 
to see that everything was ready. He wanted 
to move a stick of timber that was too heavy 
for him, and as he did so he felt something 
give way in his stomach. He started for the 
house; which was but a short distance. When 
he had gotten about half way he fainted. 
Grandpa happened to be out doors and ran to 
help him into the house. He had just gotten 
inside the door when he fell upon the floor and 
a hemorrhage of the stomach came on and he 
threw off several quarts of blood. They sent 
for mother. When she got there he lay upon 
the bed as if dead. For a week he had a 
hemorrhage every day. It seemed impossible 
that he could ever recover. He had such a 
terrible thirst, and in those days doctors would 
not allow their patients to drink cold water. 
He would beg so piteously for it that my 
mother could not stand it. While the rest of 
the family were at dinner (except she and my 
brother,) giving the latter a quart bowl, and 
putting him out of the window so grandpa 
would not see him, told him to go to the pump 
and fill it. She gave it to father and he drank 
nearly all of it. Instead of it killing him, he 
began from that time to gradually come back 
from the "border land." 



6 

As mother sat by his bed day after day, or 
night after night, and watched him, she thought 
how rebellious she had been, and promised the 
Lord if he would spare father she would go 
anywhere with him. God heard her prayer 
and like one being raised from the dead he 
slowly regained his health. At the end of a 
year he was able to take work in the ministry. 

His first charge was Houghton Center, near 
lake Erie. He had a great revival that year 
and many souls were saved. He was there 
two years which was the limit at that time. 
His next charge was Chatham Circuit, a long 
move of two or three hundred miles. He 
worked very hard and mother was a great help 
to him. He was returned the second year and 
in October of that year he had another revival 
and many were converted including four of 
his own children, and I can assure you there 
was great rejoicing at the parsonage. 

At the close of that year he had typhoid 
fever and at conference time was unable to 
take work, and after his recovery taught school 
until the next conference, when he entered the 
regular work again. 

Mother was three years younger than father. 
She was slight of build, five feet four inches 
in height, had light brown hair and beautiful 
blue eyes. She was a splendid housekeeper 
and could get up the finest meal out of the 



7 

least material of any person I ever saw. She 
was very frugal, always dressed well, but took 
such excellent care of her clothes that they 
lasted a long time. She often made them over 
and they looked almost as good as new. In- 
deed it was necessary for her to be saving as 
father's salary was never more than four hun- 
dred dollars, (for that was the highest salary 
paid in those days, but it had twice the pur- 
chasing power that amount has to-day), and 
they had five children of their own and raised 
two orphan children of my mother's brother. 
She was deeply pious. When father held 
revival meetings she would sometimes get so 
anxious for the salvation of souls that she 
would remain on her knees all night in prayer. 
After a revival I have heard father say the 
success of the meeting was due to mother's 
efforts as much or more than his own. How 
often have I seen the tears course down her 
cheeks as she plead with sinners to be recon- 
ciled to God. 

Father, mother and all of the children could 
sing and what glorious times we used to have. 
To make us independent singers father would 
have us each sing a different tune at the same 
time. There would be some discord of course, 
and lots of fun, but it was good practice. We 
had a whole choir in our own family, as we 
could carry all parts and every member of the 



8 

family could play a musical instrument. 

Mother used to sing while she was about her 
work, but they were no light, trifling songs she 
sang, but good old Methodist hymns that 
warmed her heart as she sang them. I learned 
a good many hymns when a child by hearing 
her sing them while at work. 

She w r as a great reader and I have seen her 
on Sunday afternoon sit for hours at a time 
reading her Bible and Hymn book. Not only 
on Sunday did she read her Bible, but every 
day in the week. 

She was never very strong and my father 
was very careful of her. He never thought 
she would outlive him, but he went home to 
heaven seventeen years before she did. O ! 
how she missed him. Poor mother was never 
contented anywhere after father died. 

She told me he said to her a few days before 
he died, if the Lord would permit him he would 
be her guardian angel; and she said after he 
went away, whenever she was in trouble or 
very lonely, father always came to her in her 
dreams, and it w T as such a comfort to her. 

I was permitted to be with mother part of 
the time during her last sickness, and when 
she did not seem to recognize any of us, if I 
would begin to repeat a passage of scripture or 
a stanza of a hymn, before I had repeated a 
line she would take it up and finish it, and 



9 

although her eyes were too dim to see any of 
us, she would stretch out her arms and say, O 
William, William, calling my father by name, 
and I have no doubt but our kind Heavenly 
Father permitted her to have a glimpse of him 
even before she entered through the pearly 
gates into the New Jerusalem, March ioth, 
1906, in her 84th year. 

MY MOTHER DEAR. 

There was a place in childhood, 

That I remember well, 
And there a voice of sweetest tone, 

Bright fairy tales did tell, 
And gentle words with fond embrace, 

Were given with joy to me, 
When I was in that happy place, 

Upon my mother's knee. 

When fairy tales were ended, 

"Good night" she softly said, 
And kissed and laid me down to sleep 

Within my tiny bed, 
And holy words she taught me there; 

Methinks I yet can see 
Her angel form, as close I knelt 

Beside my mother's knee. 

In the sickness of my childhood, 

The perils of my prime, 
The dangers of my riper years, 



10 

The cares of every time, 
When doubt or anguish weighed me down, 

Then pleading all for me, 
It was a fervent prayer to heaven 

That bent my mother's knee. 

But mother dear has gone to heaven, 

I miss her every day, 
The time seems very long to me, 

Since mother went away, 
But I know we shall meet again, 

On that beautiful shore, 
For my dear mother is not dead, 

Only gone on before. 

My brother James was the oldest of the 
children and was converted when a mere boy 
in a meeting held by father, of w T hich I have 
previously spoken. When about fourteen he 
was led away from Christ through the influence 
of some ungodly companions. When about 
fifteen he had a very severe attack of typhoid 
fever and was sick from November until April. 
He was very much afraid of death, for he knew 
he was not prepared. One evening about nine 
o'clock as mother was sitting beside him he 
said, "Ma, I am not afraid to die now." She 
asked the reason and he replied, 4t Gandma 
Yokom is in heaven and I will have company." 
Mother thought he had been dreaming but the 
next morning we received a telegram that 



1 1 

grandma died at nine o'clock the evening be- 
fore, after an illness of only twenty minutes. 
Her last words were, "Come, Lord Jesus, come 
quickly." 

At another time we were attending a camp- 
meeting and some were so filled with the Holy 
Spirit that their physical strength gave way 
and they fell as if dead. This brother thought 
it was all assumed and it disgusted him. At 
the close of the meeting the people formed a 
circle around the grounds and shook hands 
with each other. When my brother had gone 
about half way around the circle he too fell and 
had to be carried into a tent and a physician 
was called who said he could just detect a flut- 
ter of the heart. He lay unconscious for two 
hours and then revived and the first thing he 
said was "Glory to God." He ever afterward 
believed there was such a thing as being unut- 
terably filled with the Holy Spirit. 

He became a minister of the gospel at 19 
years of age. He died triumphantly at the age 
of 33 years. His last words were, 44 Hark, I 
bear them, yes I see them, Jesus and the an- 
gels," and was not for God took him. 

We moved from Chatham to Brooke. Here 
my sister Elizabeth began teaching school at 
the age of 17 years. She taught four consecu- 
tive years, which meant in Canada at that 
time, teaching the year round, except two 



12 

weeks in August and one week between Christ- 
mas and New Year. She was a very success- 
ful teacher. 

Later we moved to Sombra where my sister 
Eliza married Captain John Cornwall. During 
the second year of my father's pastorate there 
a camp-meeting was held at Dresdon and our 
whole family attended. Up to this time my 
brother David had never professed religion. 
During the meeting he and some of his com- 
panions were under deep conviction but would 
not yield to the influences of the Holy Spirit. 
Sunday evening came and we had a great 
meeting, fifty were converted that evening. 
After the regular services closed, some were 
so anxious about the conversion of their friends 
that they went to a tent and held a prayer- 
meeting. My mother was so concerned about 
"her boy" that she went to the tent where he 
had retired and awoke him and plead with him 
to go to the meeting and give himself to 
Christ. He and one of his companions did so 
and were gloriously saved. He is preaching 
the gospel to-day in the Detroit Conference, 
Michigan. 

The next year father was sent to Bayfield 
and built a fine parsonage. He also had re- 
vivals there, for he never was on any charge 
without seals to his ministry. 

While we lived there I visited my married 



13 

sister at Sombra. A young theological student 
from Genesee College, N. Y., came there to 
assist the pastor. His name was M. D. Ter- 
willigar. My brother-in-law and sister were 
prominent members of the church, and in 
making calls and introducing the new minister 
the pastor called upon them the first day after 
his arrival. On Sabbath evening the young 
preacher began revival services. He was no 
singer and the choir had been having some 
trouble, consequently were not in their places. 
After he had announced the hymn he waited 
for some one to start the singing, but not a 
voice was heard. He tried to start something 
but no one appeared to know what it was, and 
at the end of the second line he broke down. 
Nothing daunted, he tried again, and still 
again, with the same result. He then stepped 
to the altar and said: 4 'I have tried three times 
and failed, now let some one else try their 
hand." One of the audience asked me to start 
the tune, and as I did so they all seemed to 
know it and joined in the singing. At the close 
of the meeting Mr. T. came to me and said: 
44 Miss Yokom, I want you to go into the par- 
sonage with me and teach me a tune before I 
sleep, for I will not be caught that way again." 
I did so and very soon after two more. He 
said: <4 Teach me a long, common and short 
meter, then I will have enough for a service/ 



14 

He never was stuck again, for he could start 
them at any time during the remainder of his 
life. 

The special meetings lasted nine weeks and 
we met at afternoon prayer meeting and even- 
ing services every day. The result of our 
acquaintance formed at that time and under 
such peculiar circumstances resulted in our 
marriage two years later. 

To return to my father's ministry. He was 
twenty-five years in the regular work. He 
served two charges the second term. He 
staged the full time allowed then after being 
away a few years returned by request. The 
last charge he served was one of his former 
charges. He lost his voice by holding special 
meetings too mauy consecutive weeks and was 
compelled to superannuate. After a time he 
regained his voice so as to occasionally act as 
supply for the Presiding Elder or some Pastor. 
His services were always in demand, and at the 
time of his death he had regular preaching 
places. He loved the ministry and I heard 
him say if he were physically able he would 
rather serve the poorest charge at $300 a year 
than be superannuated. He had a stroke of 
paralysis in his 70th year and only survived two 
weeks, entering his heavenly home May first, 
1889. 



REV. M. D. TERWILLIGAR. 



15 



THE WIFE. 

Feb. 28th, 1866, Rev. M. D. Terwilligar, (of 
whom I have previously spoken), and I, were 
married at my father's home in Bayfield, Onta- 
rio, by our Presiding Elder, Rev. I. B. Rich- 
ardson. It being nearly two months before 
conference I decided to remain at home until 
then. At that conference we were sent to 
Bosanquit Circuit. 

While returning from conference my husband 
stopped at a toll-gate and after paying the toll 
supposed he had returned his pocket-book to 
his pocket. When he wanted to use it again 
he found it was gone. He was surprised and 
annoyed for it not only contained every cent 
he possessed but some valuable papers beside. 
He returned to the toll-gate where he had used 
it last but could get no trace of it. Fortunately 
my father was with him and furnished money 
for the necessary expense the rest of the way 
home. 

A day or two later we started for our new 
home, which was sixty miles from father's. 
We reached our charge in the evening and 
stayed over night with one of our members. 
After breakfast the next morning Mr. Kenne- 



i6 

day said, "Bro. Terwilligar, as you are just 
beginning to keep house I presume a little 
money will be acceptable; here is five dollars." 
We started out like the Apostles of old, "with- 
out purse or scrip," but with a great deal of 
faith in God, and even before we had reached 
our home money had been given us. 

We had a new parsonage which was soon 
furnished, and we began housekeeping as 
happy as if we had owned thousands of dollars. 
Mr. Terwilligar had four appointments, two 
in the country,andone at Forest City, about four 
miles from Thedford, which was our home. 
He preached three times every Sunday and 
drove about fifteen miles. He alternated 
every two weeks in the morning at the country 
appointments, at Forest City every Sunday 
afternoon, and at Thedford every Sunday even- 
ing. The Wesleyan Methodists preached in 
the same church in the morning. 

My father had been on that charge a few 
years before and I was acquainted with many 
of the people. About six weeks after we 
moved there my husband suggested that we 
drive to one of our country appointments on 
Saturday evening and stay over night with an 
old acquaintance of mine. I readily consented 
to do so. It was a beautiful cool moonlight 
evening and we owned a handsome, spirited 
sorrel horse with silver mane and tail. This 



17 

was the first drive we had taken together after 
we went on the charge, for Mr. T. had just 
gotten his new carriage, having used a sulky 
before we were married. I can never forget 
the pleasure of that evening drive. 

It was about ten o'clock when we got to our 
friends' and they had retired for the night but 
as I was familiar with the house we proceeded 
to their bedroom window and serenaded them. 
It did not take long for them to dress and come 
to the door and give us a hearty welcome. 
The next morning Bro. Gustin suggested to my 
husband that he leave our horse there and we 
ride with them to church in their two-seated 
buggy and our horse would be fresh for the 
drive to his afternoon appointment and from 
there home, and Mr. Terwilligar consent- 
ed to the plan. Mrs. Gustin had a three 
months old baby which she did not want to 
leave at home, so took it along, and she, baby 
and I sat in the back seat and her husband and 
mine in the front seat. After the services 
were over Mr. Gustin drove up and Mr. T. as- 
sisted us in the carriage and as we sat down 
the horses sprang and I felt our seat tipping 
backward, it being a movable seat and had not 
been securely fastened, and I realized we were 
going out. Neither of us made any outcry 
but my husband said it looked light behind 
him and as he turned his head to see what was 



i8 

the cause we were just landing on the ground. 
By the time he could get out of the carriage 
Mrs. Gustin had arisen and was trying to pick 
up her baby who had fallen from her arms, 
When we fell I was fearful of landing on the 
baby and in making an effort to avoid it I had 
gone farther than they had. I landed on my 
head and was unconscious when they got to 
me. They got water to revive me but it was 
some time before I regained consciousness. 
The first thing I realized was a terrible pain in 
the back of my neck and I was really afraid to 
raise my head for fear my neck was broken. 
It however was not as serious as that but I 
received an injury to my spine from which I 
have never recovered. Mrs. Gustin and the 
baby were neither of them injured in the least. 

I said to my husband on the way home: " 1 
think if I had a baby and should get thrown 
out of a carriage I would cling to it so it should 
not get out of my arms." About three years 
later I tested it and was not found wanting 
either. 

I was a timid little girl of twenty summers 
when I became mistress of a Methodist parson- 
age, and it was my first experience in house- 
keeping. At the close of the first year I was 
quite flattered by our Presiding Elder saying : 
1 'Sister Terwilliger, Sister has im- 
proved in her housekeeping greatly this year 



19 

and I think it is all due to the example of the 
mistress of the parsonage." As I said, I was 
flattered but I should have been an unworthy 
daughter of a very neat mother if I had not 
tried to follow her teaching and example. I 
had noticed a change in my neighbor's house- 
keeping but had never for a moment attributed 
it to my example. How careful we should be, 
for we often exert an unconscious influence, 
either for good or evil. 

Once wheQ my two sisters were visiting us 
we were invited to spend an afternoon and 
take tea with this neighbor, and of course it 
would not do for a minister's family to refuse 
an invitation from one of their parishioners, 
consequently we accepted. In order to have 
more time to visit with us she had laid her 
table before we got there. It was in fly time 
and screens were unknown. When we came 
to the table for tea I did not have a very large 
appetite for my plate which was originally 
white was beautifully decorated where the flies 
had walked over it. 

Many times I have eaten at some farmer's, 
and not always in Canada either, where the 
flies were so thick that they had to arm one or 
two of the children with a branch from a tree 
with a few leaves on the end and station them 
behind us to switch the flies from the table so 
we could eat in peace. How did people live 



20 

in those days? Microbes, microbes, yes a 
plenty, and yet they managed to live some- 
way. 

One Sabbath morning Mr. T. got ready to 
go to one of his country appointments and it 
rained very hard. I persuaded him not to go 
telling him people could not get out in such a 
terrible storm, and he would have his long ride 
for nothing. He finally put his horse in the barn 
and remained at home. He took up a peach 
and began eating it; the first bite he took from 
it broke one of his teeth. He said: "There, 
that is a judgment on me for not going to my 
appointment." The rain stopped and the sun 
came out just in time for the services to begin 
and the people were of course disappointed. 
Ever afterward rain or shine he went to his 
appointments. 

I had never stayed alone an evening in my 
life, before we were married. At one of our 
appointments they were building a new church. 
Their business meetings were held in the even- 
ing and it was necessary for my husband to 
attend them. At such times I had to stay 
alone, and if a mouse stirred I was frightened 
almost to death. The remembrance of what I 
suffered at such times make my heart ache for 
the dear girls who leave father and mother and 
go away with their husbands, if their business 
requires them to be even occasionally away 



21 

from home in the evening, if they have to stay 
alone. My husband was one of the kindest 
and most affectionate men in the world, yet he 
could not always be with me. 

We stayed only one year in that place. 
During a revival meeting held at one of our 
country appointments which I attended, I took 
a severe cold. The people were so kind to us 
that we were invited to stay at a different 
place every night. They honored us with 
their spare beds and as they were not very 
often used, instead of getting over my cold I 
continually added to it. My health failed rap- 
idly and the Dr. told Mr. T. he would have to 
take me to some other climate, or I would die. 

He had always wanted to go west. Having 
a friend who was a minister in Wisconsin, he 
wrote to him and through him made arrange- 
ments to go out there at the time of our Con- 
ference, which was held the latter part of 
April. The Conference in Wisconsin was in 
the fall, consequently going in the middle of 
the year we could not expect a very good ap- 
pointment. We were willing to take anything 
until Conference. The presiding Elder had 
decided to re-organize a church at Trempeleau 
and we were sent there. He had the address 
of a Methodist there, but before we reached 
Trempeleau we learned he had moved away. 
Some one on the boat told Mr. T. there was a 



22 

Methodist there by the name of Smith, 

I said "If you inquire for Mr. Smith and they 
ask you what Smith, what will you say?" He 
replied, "John, for there is a John Smith in 
every Methodist church." Sure enough there 
was a John Smith a Methodist there. We 
were however directed to Denis Smith's. They 
received us very cordially, and were delighted 
at the idea of having a pastor again. We 
arrived there about 4 p. m. and invitations 
were sent out to the Methodists to attend a 
prayermeeting at Mr. Smith's that evening, 
and there were twenty-four present. This was 
on Thursday, and the news very soon spread 
that a Methodist Minister had arrived. We 
had no church building. The Congregational- 
ists had a fine one, but their pastor had 
"struck" for higher salary, and his people were 
unwilling to pay him any more. He had con- 
sequently gone seeking another fold. 

On Saturday his wife called upon my hus- 
band and invited him to fill her husband's pul- 
pit the next day. He willingly accepted the 
invitation, and was invited the second Sabbath 
also. The following Monday a committee 
called upon him from that church and invited 
him to become their pastor, and our congrega- 
tion worship with them until we could build 
oar church, and they would pay him $1,000 
per year. He accepted the invitation and we 



23 

worshipped together one year without a jir. 
At the expiration of that year we had a beauti- 
ful brick church ready for occupancy. 

Jan. 2, i85S, our dear little Herbert came to 
us. A very delicate child but of the sweetest 
disposition. He was baptised by Bishop 
Thompson. 

Trempeleau is an Indian name signifying a 
hill in the water. It is situated on the banks 
of the Mississippi river, twenty miles above 
LaCrosse. It was the only port for Trempeleau 
county. There were many highway robberies 
committed around there about that time. 
When the farmers brought their grain to mar- 
ket, six or eight of them would usually band 
together for protection. At one time there 
was a drove of them returning home after dis- 
posing of their grain. They had given all their 
money to one man who was in the center of 
the drove. It was getting dark and they had 
reached a lonely part of the road, when the 
first team was halted and a demand made for 
money. The man replied he had no money. 
They said, "Take that, then," and deliberately 
shot him, then ran away. His friends carried 
him to the nearest house where he died a few 
hours later. 

A short time after this Mr. T. was returning 
after delivering a lecture in a neighboring 
town, as he was building a church and took 



24 

that way to help the people pay for it. He 
had hired a spirited horse from the livery. It 
being a bright moonlight night, as he neared 
this same place he saw something in the road 
that looked like a stump. He did not remem- 
ber seeing it when he went, consequently was 
on his guard. As he approached it a man 
sprang up and seized the bridle. The horse 
sprang so suddenly that he not only broke 
loose from the man but broke the girth of the 
saddle and ran all the way to the stable, 
(which w r as nearly two miles), with Mr. Ter- 
williger hanging on the best he could. He had 
always been opposed to a christian carrying 
firearms, but was then and there instantane- 
ously converted to the belief that it is neces- 
sary under certain circumstances. 

He always believed God would protect His 
children, but suddnly came to the conclusion 
that he wants us to do all in our power for our- 
selves, trusting Him to guide us. The fact of 
his having a good horse is all that saved him. 
The next day he armed himself with a good 
revolver and took pains to let it be known, 
which probably prevented another attack. 

One Fourth of July while we were in Tremp- 
eleau they were going to celebrate and Judge 
Lord of LaCrosse was to be the orator. My 
husband had just broken a young horse and I 
was always willing to ride behind anything he 



25 

would drive, for he was a fine horseman. He 
hitched up the horse and I took our little Her- 
bert and we started for the park where the cel- 
ebration was to be held. As we came near the 
park a little boy met us and threw up his arms 
to attract our attention and was going to tell 
us about their horses having run away. He 
frightened our horse so he sprang to the right 
and baby and I went out on the left. I cer- 
tainly verified the truth of my remarks three 
years before, for although the wheel ran over 
my right wrist I did not let my baby out of my 
arms. I did not hear Judge Lord's oration 
either for 1 had to be takeu home instead. 

At another time we were driving from Trem- 
peleau to LaCrescent. We were on top of a 
bluff among the trees and did not notice a 
storm approaching, when suddenly it broke 
upon us in all its fury. We had an open buggy, 
but a very large umbrella. It proved of no 
avail however, as the storm was so severe the 
rain came right through it. There was a vil- 
lage not far from there and we drove as fast as 
possible to reach it. 

The town to which I referred was at the foot 
of the bluff. The descent was very steep and 
the road narrow. We had gotten part of the 
way down, when the line caught over the end 
of the thill, and as the horse was very obedient 
to the rein, before we were aware of it his front 



26 

feet were over the side of that steep bluff. 
Mr. T. realized our danger and held the horse 
up with the lines and called to some men who 
were at the foot of the hill to come and take 
the baby and me out of the buggy. He had a 
good deal of trouble to make them hear. After 
what seemed to us an age they came. 

The horse had gone so far over the bank that 
it was impossible to get him back, or give them 
a chance to unhitch him. My husband said: 
"I will have to drive him down." It was twen- 
ty-five or thirty feet to the bottom right over 
the side of that steep bluff. I expected every 
moment they would both be killed. He man- 
aged however to keep the buggy right side up 
and the horse slid the most of the way down. 
I stood in the mud almost ankle deep, holding 
our baby until they led the horse around to 
the foot of the hill and then ascended to where 
we were. We drove to the nearest house 
where the lady furnished us with dry clothing 
while she dried ours. We stayed there all 
night and resumed our journey in the morning 
apparently none the worse for wear. 

In the fall of 1869 we moved to Plainview, 
Minnesota. The first winter we were there 
Mr. Terwilligar held revival meetings. They 
had not had a revival in that church for ten 
years. 

The class leader and his brother-in-law would 



27 

not speak to each other. He held meetings 
every afternon and evening, except Saturday, 
for five weeks without a single conversion. At 
last he said that matter must be settled. He 
invited both of the men to the parsonage, 
without letting one know the other would be 
there. After they came he prayed with them 
and talked to them until they agreed to settle 
their differences. In the next two weeks there 
were over a hundred conversions. One of the 
converts was a professed infidel, who after- 
ward became a minister of the gospel. 

Nov. 26 of the next year God gave us another 
son, our dear little Ansel J. He was baptised 
by Bishop Simpson when he was ten months 
old. That summer he had cholera infantum. 
After doctoring him for weeks our physician 
said the only way we could save his life was to 
take him in a carriage on a pillow, and drive 
in the country with him. We had a span of 
young horses and a covered carriage. We 
accordingly made arrangements for a two 
week's trip. He had not eaten anything for 
days except a little hot water poured over 
crackers, which was strained off carefully so 
there would not be a crumb in it and a little 
sugar added. Our neighbors thought when we 
started we would never bring him home alive. 
After we had traveled two or three days he 
began to be hungry. We came across a herd 



28 

of cattle on the praries. We had a small pail 
with us and I said to Mr. Terwilligar, t4 Go and 
milk one of those cows for the baby." We 
were miles from any house so could not ask 
permission. He took the pail and started, but 
when the cows saw a man wearing a silk hat 
and linen duster, they first looked surprised 
then turned and ran away. All he could do he 
could not get near them. The baby was com- 
pelled to wait until we could get to the nearest 
house, which was a very small one with only 
two rooms, one down stairs and the other up 
stairs. 

The people were delighted to see us. Hav- 
ing no near neighbors they were glad to see 
even strangers. We were cordially invited to 
stay over night. They told us they would 
gladly give us their bed down stairs and they 
go up stairs. That arrangement suited me, 
for the only way they could get up stairs was 
by a ladder and I must admit I am not good at 
climbing. As it was nearly night and we were 
so far from any other house we accepted the 
invitation. 

Our little Herbert slept in their baby's crib 
beside our bed. We had just nicely gotten to 
sleep when he cried and we got up to see what 
ailed him. We had no difficulty in discover- 
ing other occupants than the boy, and their 
name was legion. We left the light burning 



- 29 

the rest of the night, for they love darkness 
rather than light. The poor child was covered 
with blotches the next day. In the morning 
we resumed our journey feeling that we might 
be carrying away with us more than we had 
taken there. The people however did their 
best for us and we were grateful to them and 
paid them just as much as if we had not had 
so much company. 

Mr. T. had taken up a homestead about 100 
miles from our charge and we were required to 
build some kind of a house upon it and take at 
least one meal in it, once in six months for five 
years. We went there and took a meal, visited 
some of our friends and returned as far as 
Mankato, where we attended the annual Con- 
ference. By that time our baby had improved 
very much. When we returned home at the 
end of two weeks he looked like a different 
child. 

At that Conference we were sent to Preston. 
Here both joy and sorrow awaited us. The 
next March, Walter Clyde, another little son, 
came to gladden our home. He was too frail 
a flower to remain long with us (weighing only 
two and one half pounds) and only lived six 
months. After three days illness with cholera 
infantum God took him to himself. This was 
the first death in our family, and our hearts 
were nearly broken. 



30 

Just four months from that time our dear 
little Herbert died with scarlet fever, after an 
illness of only 72 hours. When the Dr. said 
there was no use of doing anything more, that 
he must die, I thought surely God will not be 
so cruel as to take our first-born after taking 
our baby such a short time before. I was 
holding in my arms our second son who was so 
ill with the same disease that we thought he 
too was very near death's door, I had to give 
Herbert entirely into the hands of his father 
and the Dr. while I was compelled to give all 
my attention to Ansel. The little attentions 
which we like to bestow upon our dead while 
they still remain with us, I had to intrust to 
the hands of strangers, for my duty was with 
our only living son. O! the anguish of those 
hours, none but a mother who has had a simi- 
lar sorrow can ever know. 

We thought the loss of our baby was all we 
could bear, but his loss was nothing in com- 
parison with our first born. He had been with 
us over five years and we could remember so 
many things he had said and done. He was 
so entwined in our affections that it seemed 
we could not live without him, yet our Father 
knew what was best for him and us. 

I think it took three or four years before I 
came to the point where I could say I did not 
wish my children back. As time passed on 



31 

and I saw so much sin and sorrow in the world 
I came to the conclusion that God was not 
cruel but merciful in taking our children and 
transplanting them in a fairer clime. 

In August, 1873, our daughter Aleta, came 
to cheer and gladden our hearts. She has 
always been very frail, but such a comfort to 
us. The next year we were in Chicago, Illi- 
nois. When we went there we took our large 
Newfoundland dog with us from Preston, 
Minn., which was over three hundred miles. 
A friend of my husband's in Evanston had his 
bank robbed one night and said to Mr. T. the 
next day, "I wish I had a dog like Carlo, he 
could take care of all who could come through 
one window." My husband replied, "You can 
have him for a while." The severe winds in 
Chicago did not agree with me and the next 
spring the doctor advised my husband to take 
me back to Minnesota. We left the dog with 
the banker in Evanston intending to send for 
him soon. We went to St. Peter and during 
the early part of the next winter we received a 
telegram from our successor at Preston saying, 
4 'Carlo is here, what shall we do with him ?" 
Mr. Terwilligar replied, ''Take good care of 
him until you hear from me." The dog 
arrived at the parsonage in the morning. Came 
to the back door and wanted admittance. They 
let him in and he appeared so pleased. Went 



32 

to the dining-room door, and looked around, 
not seeing anything familiar he dropped his 
head as if disappointed and returned to the 
kitchen, lying down by the stove awhile to 
rest. All their efforts to put him out were un- 
availing until he got ready to go. After they 
fed him he went across the road and had a 
fight with the neighbor's dog, with whom he 
always fought when he had a chance, whipped 
him, then disappeared. The neighbors who 
had known him for two years saw him and said 
there was no doubt about its being Carlo. How 
he found his way back to Preston was a mys- 
tery, for we took him in an express car. He 
had to cross the Mississippi river too, which he 
probably did on the railroad bridge. My hus- 
band wrote to the man who kept him in Evans- 
ton and received a reply that Carlo had been 
gone a few days, and returned badly wounded 
and had died from the effects. He had travel- 
ed over six hundred miles to find us. He of 
course had to forage his living while on the way 
and some one had been mean enough to wound 
him. 

When we were in Wells, Minnesota, Mr. T. 
had gone to the barber-shop one day when 
suddenly the sky became darkened, the wind 
blew fearfully and the rain began to fall in tor- 
rents. A tornado had struck us. The wind 
blew so hard I feared it would burst the front 



33 

door open. I had a maid who weighed nearly 
two hundred pounds. She and I put all our 
strength on the door to prevent it, and our 
dear little three year old boy said: 4 'Mamma, I 
will help you too," and put his little shoulder 
to the door. Of course with such valuable help 
we were able to hold the door shut. I looked 
around and saw the water running in streams 
down the hall stairs. This was the first storm 
we had had since we went there and I was in- 
dignant that the people should put us in such a 
parsonage. When the storm abated sufficiently 
to allow my husband to return home he found 
part of the roof had blown away. The ridge 
board was clear out in the street. This exon- 
erated the people from the charge of indiffer- 
ence to their pastor's family. The barn doors 
had been left open and they were torn from 
their hinges. There was scarcely a chimney 
left standing in the town when the tornado 
was over. 

A row of six brick houses stood just outside 
the town but in the track of the storm. The 
gable ends of each were crushed, but instead 
of falling in, they fell outward. There was a 
sick lady in one house lying with her head near 
the outside wall, but not a brick touched her. 
The first thing she knew the side of the house 
was gone and the rain beating upon her. 

I remember one time when we were nearly 



34 

read} 7 to sit down to dinner the door bell rang 
and five of our members from the country were 
ushered in. They had come to town to do 
some shopping and incidentally to take dinner 
with the preacher. They brought a half-dozen 
eggs and wanted them credited on their sub- 
scription for the preacher's salary. We were 
always expected to take whatever was brought 
in, from a peck of potatoes to a ton of hay, 
and be very grateful for it whether we needed 
it or not. I am thankful those times have 
passed and ministers get their salaries in cash 
iust the same as other people. 

In 1882 we moved to Brainard where we 
spent two delightful years. It was called 
"City of the Pines." It was surrounded by 
pines and there was a beautiful park of Norway 
pines, which was presented to the city. The 
thermometer sometimes goes as low as fifty 
degrees below zero there, but it is so sheltered 
by the pines and the atmosphere is so dry they 
do not suffer any more than they wouldin the 
east with the thermometer at zero. 

Our son Ansel was twelve years old when we 
went there. Our predecessor had two boys a 
little older than he. They said to our son, <fc If 
you want to make some money you can by be- 
ing janitor of the church, we took care of it.' 
Of course he wanted to make money, what boy 
does not? He had no trouble in getting the 



35 

janitorship. He had never filled a lamp in his 
life, but he was ambitious and very soon learned 
to do it nicely. He hired his little sister to do 
the dusting and I took pity on him and cleaned 
the lamp chimneys and globes for him. 

He was very careful of his money and when 
he got enough ahead he bought a cow. His 
father kept it for him, he giving us a couple of 
quarts of milk a day in return. He sold the 
rest, delivering it himself before school. The 
cow was not only profitable but he had a good 
deal of fun with her, He got a harness and 
hitched her to a hand sleigh and drove her. 
Once when we were away from home he 
hitched her up, put some hay on the sleigh 
then he and his little sister got on and drove 
to a friend's the other side of the city, put the 
cow in the barn and fed her, stayed to dinner 
and towards evening drove home. All went 
as merry as a marriage bell until they got 
nearly home, when a dog came along and he 
and the cow had an encounter. The children 
had to walk the rest of the way home. 

That year we had a fine vegetable garden. 
Our son took great pride in it. He got first 
prize on White Elephant potatoes at the Coun- 
ty Fair. He also kept chickens and got first 
prize on Brahma hens. 

Mr. Terwilligar built a very fine parsonage 
while we were there, and the church member- 



36 

ship was greatly increased. 

We moved to Detroit, Mich., Jan. 2nd, 1892, 
so as to be near my widowed mother, as we 
had been about a thousand miles from all our 
relatives for nearly twenty years. Mr. T. was 
transferred to the Detroit conference and was 
appointed to the Seaman's Bethel in Detroit. 
He remained there four years. 

While there our daughter was taken ill with 
la grippe and for months was so seriously ill 
that the doctors thought she could not possibly 
recover. She was confined to her bed about a 
year, and an invalid two years. I think she 
has never seen a well day since, yet she is so 
cheerful and uncomplaining that a person see- 
ing her would have no idea that she is a con- 
stant sufferer. 

In the fall of 1895 we moved to Marysville, 
on the banks of the St. Clair river. Mr. Ter- 
willigar's health began to fail. The physicians 
thought it was rheumatism and treated him for 
that disease, but he grew worse and at the end 
of the second year they advised him to move 
inland as we were too near the river. 

In the fall of 1897 we were sent to Rich- 
mond. A beautiful place with a fine church 
and parsonage. His health failed rapidly, and 
it made my heart ache to see him slipping 
away from us. He was so brave and hopeful. 
He attended to his work regularly, when many 



37 

in his state of health would have remained in 
bed. He tried to hide from his membership 
his illness as much as possible, although suffer- 
ing intense pain, never complained before any 
of them. When we were alone he would 
throw himself on the couch and groan until we 
could scarcely bear to see his sufferings. He 
knew too well that a church did not want a 
sick pastor, yet like all ministers did not want 
to superannuate even after preaching thirty- 
four years. 

He held revival meetings three weeks in 
January, and preached sitting in his chair, for 
he was unable to stand. Feb. 8th we took 
him to the hospital in Detroit where he re- 
mained only ten days, as the physicians said 
nothing could be done for him. We took him 
to our son's who was living in Detroit, as he 
was too weak to be taken back home. He 
was so cheerful and patient, yet suffered the 
most intensely of anyone I ever saw. He re- 
mained with us four weeks after he left the 
hospital. When death came and he was too 
weak to speak, he clapped his hands and the 
most radiant smile overspread his face. On 
Sabbath morning, March 20th, just at the ris- 
ing of the sun, the pearly gates swung open, 
and he passed through, to be forever with 
the Lord. 



38 



THE WIDOW. 

A few weeks after my husband's death my 
daughter and I went back to Richmond where 
the official board very kindly gave us the use 
of the parsonage until Conference, which was 
held the latter part of September, they having 
secured a theological student from Evanston, 
Illinois, to take my husband's place until then. 
I cannot describe my feelings when we return- 
ed to the church where he had preached and 
saw another in his place and realized that he 
had gone from us forever. Yet we did not 
sorrow as those without hope, for we knew 
that although he could not return to us we 
could go to him. 

After Conference we moved to Detroit to be 
near onr son who the previous year had mar- 
ried Miss Emma May Miller of Ridgeway, and 
was living in Detroit. 

The following June my daughter married 
Dr. Edwin R. Phenix of Ypsilanti. Very socn 
after their marriage she began the study of 
optometry and graduated two years later, with 
the degree of R. D. She went in partnership 
with her husband and has made a very success- 



39 

ful practitioner. She had so much courage 
and perseverance. While taking her course of 
study she broke the ligaments of her right 
wrist and had to carry it in splints or a bandage 
for two years, yet completed her course of 
study notwithstanding the terrible pain which 
she endured. 

She is passionately fond of pets. When she 
returned from Florida she brought a baby alli- 
gator with her. Once in returning from Calif- 
ornia she brought a Resus monkey, and rode 
all of the way in a chair car, as they would not 
allow it in a Pullman and she could not bear 
the thought of her pet being put in a baggage 
car. She loved it dearly and certainly it was 
a very amusing pet. They called her Helen. 

Once a kitten came into the house and Aleta 
said, "Helen, come and see this nice kitty." 
As Helen approached it the poor little thing 
was so frightened that she sprang into Helen's 
cage which stood on the floor with the door 
open. Helen grabbed it by the tail and 
dragged it out and pushed it from her and as- 
suming such a satisfied air, looked up into 
Aleta's face as if she desired praise. If she 
was out of her cage she would not allow a 
stranger to touch her mistress, but would jump 
at them as quickly as a dog. 

The Resus have smooth faces and are more 
human looking than any other species. The 



40 

palms of their hands have lines in them just 
like a human hand and their teeth are like 
a baby's. 

My daughter missed her thimble one day and 
suspected Helen had it. She said, <4 Helen 
have you got my thimble?" She grinned and 
Aleta felt of her cheek and there stowed away 
in her little pouch was the thimble. She re- 
fused to give it up however until she saw she 
would be compelled to. Then with her little 
fingers she took it from her cheek and threw 
it across the room. Before returning to Cali- 
fornia in the fall Aleta sold her rather than take 
that long trip in a chair car again. 

The summer my daughter was married I 
spent six weeks at Bay View, a summer resort 
which is situated on Little Traverse Bay in the 
upper peninsula of Michigan. I enjoyed 
greatly the literary feast given by the Bay 
View Assembly. The choir was grand being 
composed of fifty members, most of them be- 
longing to church choirs in different parts of 
the United States. Professor Case of Chicago, 
was the very efficient conductor. The lectures 
were of a high order. One of the most profit- 
able and pleasing parts of the Assembly was 
the W. C. T. U. Institute, addressed by able 
speakers from far and near. 

The scenery is delightful, with its hills slop- 
ing to the bay. The auditorium stands in the 



41 

center of the grounds, with Science Hall, Ep- 
worth Rest Cottage and other public buildings 
near. Its hotels are first class. Berries, veg- 
etables and milk are brought on the grounds 
every day. There are hundreds of beautiful 
cottages nestling in the valley or on the hill- 
side. You can fish, row or bathe in the bay, 
gather ferns or wild flowers, ride on the steam 
or trolley cars, attend the Assembly or stay in 
your cottage or hotel. In fact you can find 
any kind of innocent pleasure in Bay View, 
the joy of Michigan, 

In 1902 I became Superintendent of the 
Deaconess' Home in Indianapolis, Indiana. 
The position was secured for me by my friend, 
Dr. Joshua Standsfield, of Indianapolis. I had 
never had any experience in Deaconess' work, 
except assisting a pastor for a few weeks, but 
had a good deal in Christian work of other 
kinds. I went with some sense of shrinking 
but believed it the voice of God and willingly 
obeyed. 

A tall handsome Deaconess met me at the 
depot and took me to the Home and introduced 
me to the family. The next morning I began 
my work. I knew how to keep house and di- 
rect a maid, but that was a small part of the 
work of a Superintendent of a Deaconess' 
Home. Vegetables and fruit by the barrel 
were sent in and clothing by the box. These 



42 

all had to be taken care of, the sick and 
needy ones looked after, providing the needy 
with clothing and the sick with fruit and jelly 
To plan the work for the Deaconesses, make 
reports three times a month, give bible read- 
ings at missionary meetings, make addresses 
on our work at conventions and conferences, 
were among the things expected of her. Once 
a week we visited the hospital. We read, 
sang and prayed in each ward and often in 
the private rooms. 

I remember one man in the hospital who 
said to me, ' 'Your visits have done me so much 
good. I am a Roman Catholic but our Sisters 
would not come here unless we sent for them. 
You come every week and talk and sing and 
pray with us." 

Sometimes when I went to church or was 
on the street some one would hold out their 
hand to me and say, "Don't you remember 
me, I was in the hospital on such a day when 
you were there and I remember what you 
sang and what chapter you read." I enjoyed 
the work very much in Indianapolis and the 
people were very kind to me. 

I cannot close this chapter without making 
mention of a Sister whom I loved dearly, Sis- 
ter Foxworthy, who was the widow of a Meth- 
odist minister. Her husband died in Illinois 
the year before and she came to Indianapolis 



43 

to keep house for her son who was a doctor. 
She was always at church on Sunday, and in 
the Sabbath school, attended the Epworth 
League and midweek prayermeeting, ready to 
lead the devotions at the W. C. T. U., or fur- 
nish a paper for a missionary meeting, or send 
a little note to the sick or those who were in 
trouble. I think I never saw a person who 
was as constantly watching for an opportunity 
to do good as she. O! that we had many 
more just such women in our churches. 

In the latter part of October I received a 
telegram from my son-in-law saying my daugh- 
ter was dangerously sick and they wanted me 
to go to her at once. I started on the first 
train and found her very low with pneumonia. 
I could not leave her for over two months, 
consequently I resigned my position at the 
Home. 

In the tall of 1903 the doctor told my son-in- 
law he would have to take my daughter to 
California. I decided to go with them and we 
went to Los Angeles. I cannot describe the 
trip or place better than to give a copy of a 
letter which I wrote for the Michigan Advocate 
while at Los Angeles. 

"We left Detroit Oct. 26. From Chicago 
we took a tourist car. The scenery along the 
route is beautiful. No tongue or pen can de- 
scribe the grandeur of the Royal Gorge in the 



44 

Rocky Mountains. I was led to exclaim many 
times, "What a wonderful God is ours!" 

Our train comprised fourteen cars and we 
were in the center. One moment we were 
looking down a chasm of hundreds of feet, the 
next, solid rock towered hundreds of feet above 
us. We could see the engine winding around 
the mountains, and immediately turn and look 
backwards, could see the rear car. The train 
looked like a great trailing serpent, winding in 
and out among the mountains. 

We lost so much time climbing those steep 
grades (although we had two engines) that we 
were compelled to lay over nine hours in Salt 
Lake City, waiting for a new schedule. We 
employed our time by "taking in" the city. 
We called upon a minister with whom we were 
acquainted and he showed us some of the 
places of interest. First we went to Fort 
Douglas, saw the pass in the mountains 
through which the Mormons entered in 1849; 
saw the pole which had been erected on the 
spot w T here Brigham Young stood when he 
took possession of that country; saw his grave 
which was covered wiih a plain granite slab; 
also the house in which he lived and the one 
he built for his favorite wife, Amelia. On one 
of the principal streets the city has erected, in 
his honor, a monument surmounted by his 
statue. 



45 

We visited the Mormon temple, of which 
the corner-stone was laid April 6, 1853, com- 
pleted in 1893 at a cost of one and a half mill- 
ion dollars. It is never opened except for 
baptismal ceremonies, weddings and funerals. 

We next visited the Tabernacle. We were 
very courteously escorted through the building 
by a Mormon elder. In this building services 
are held every Sabbath. It is circular in form, 
with twenty doors swinging outward, thus giv- 
ing easy egress in case of fire. Its acoustic 
properties are perfect. We heard distinctly a 
pin drop 250 feet away, 

In this building they claim to have the most 
wonderful organ in the world. The front towers 
have an altitude of 58 feet, and the dimensions 
of the organ are 30 by 33 feet; it has no stops 
and contains a total of 5,000 pipes, ranging in 
length from one inch to 32 feet. Undoubtedly 
the organ owes much to the marvelous acous- 
tics of the Tabernacle, but even with this 
allowance made, it is still the most perfect in- 
strument of its kind in existence. 

At midnight we resumed our journey. The 
Sierra Nevada mountains too are grand, but 
differ from the Rockies, as they are covered 
with verdure. We passed through 40 miles of 
snow sheds. We went from Oakland, Cal.,by 
boat to San Francisco, where I got my first 
glimpse of the Pacific. I had often wished I 



46 

could see the ocean and at last my desire was 
realized. As I beheld it I was again impressed 
with the wonderful power of our God, who could 
create such a vast expanse of water, and "Hold 
it in the hollow of His hand." At 4 o'clock we 
left Oakland for Los Angeles by the coast route. 

This surpassed in scenery anything we had 
beheld since we left home. The mighty Pacific 
on our right, and the mountains upon our left, 
while we were passing through a fertile valley 
abounding in olive orchards, walnut, lemon and 
orange groves, while the fragrant eucalyptus, 
the graceful pepper with its crimson berries 
nestling among its green leaves, and the 
stately palm, all contributed their delight to 
the eye. 

At noon on Monday we reached Los Angeles, 
just one week from the time we left Detroit, 
without a storm or an accident all the way. 
How shall I describe this 4 'City of the Angels?" 
Its dozen beautiful parks, its fine public build- 
ings, its magnificent homes with their adorn- 
ment of pepper, orange, lemon and palm trees. 
The most beautiful roses are in bloom. Calla 
lillies which we care for so tenderly in our east- 
ern homes, and repay us with two or three 
blossoms, are used here as hedges to mark the 
boundaries of many beautiful lawns, and it is 
not uncommon to see hundreds of them in blos- 
som all at once. Geraniums and heliotropes 



47 

are also used for hedges. We have glorious 
sunshine day after day and week after week. 
This is a city of churches, and all of them are 
well attended. We belong to the First Meth- 
odist Episcopal, of which Dr. Robert Mclntyre 
is pastor. It is a handsome brick and stone 
structure, seating 2,000 including galleries. 
The church is crowded to its utmost capacity 
every Sabbath. We have to go an hour before 
time for the services to begin in order to get a 
seat. There are 1,800 members of the church, 
2,000 in the Sabbath school, and a large and 
deeply spiritual Epworth League. About 250 
attend the regular noon class meeting. I think 
it is the most spiritual church I have ever 
found. 

There are 19 Woman's Christian Temper- 
ance Unions in the city. Our Los Angeles 
Union holds its weekly meetings in the First 
M. E. Church, and has its regular place on the 
weekly bulletin. It has 1,000 members, which 
is the largest Union in the world. 

On Thanksgiving day we went to Long 
Beach and took a bath in the surf. It is 
twenty-two miles from Los Angeles, lying on 
the border of the harbor of San Pedro, and is 
a bustling, prosperous city, with a population 
of approximately 15,000. It has eight and a 
half miles of ocean frontage, and four miles of 
deep sea harbor. It is built upon a bluff from 



48 

twenty-five to seventy-five feet above low tide. 
Stretching down to the water is a broad ex- 
panse of glittering sand, forming a playground, 
delightful alike to young and old. It has 38 
miles of graded streets, 61 miles of cement 
walks and curbing, and six miles of asphalt 
pavement. 

The city built a 2,000 foot double deck cylin- 
der pier, the only one of its kind on the coast. 
They also have a handsome glass sun pavilion 
2,000 feet from shore, and an auditorium with 
40,000 feet of floor space seating 6,000 people, 
at a cost of nearly $40,000. In this auditorium 
are daily given free concerts by a noted band 
of 32 musicians at a cost of $2,000 a month, 
raised by subscriptions and the revenues de- 
rived from entertainments given three evenings 
in the week. Fifteen religious denominations 
are represented in Long Beach, all with houses 
of worship, some of them very fine strnctures, 
their combined value being about $250,000. 

On Christmas day we took a ride on the Los 
Angeles-Pacific Electric road to Santa Monica, 
which is 19 miles from Los Angeles. It is a 
beautiful place with concrete sidewalks as- 
phalt pavement, beautiful parks and lovely 
flowers. It is not as large as Long Beach, its 
population being a little over 7,000. 

The following May the General Conference 
of the Methodist church was held in Los Ange- 



49 

les. The delegates came from all over the 
world, for it was a world's Conference. There 
were eleven hundred delegates and several 
thousand visitors. A gentleman who had trav- 
eled a great deal made the remark that he had 
never before seen so many notable men to- 
gether. 

The Chamber of Commerce and the churches 
made it possible for the Conference to come to 
Los Angeles. The Chamber of Commerce do- 
nated $15,000 to apply on the expenses of the 
delegates. Besides this they expended many 
hundreds of dollars in providing the rare con- 
cert given by the Elery Italian band, and the 
oranges and lemonade served daily by six ladies 
selected from the different churches of the city. 

Our churches subscribed $10,000 towards the 
expenses, besides a large sum in entertaining 
the delegates. 

The Vawter carnation fields of Ocean Park 
donated eleven hundred carnations daily to be 
placed on the seats of the delegates. Com- 
mittees from the churches decorated with 
flowers daily. The first church (to which we 
belonged) decorated for the opening day. They 
used ten thousand Calla lillies. 

The Salt Lake railroad gave the delegates a 
trip to Riverside, where the citizens provided a 
splendid reception and gave the delegates and 
visitors the privilege of visiting an orange grove 



50 

and each picking an orange. The Conference 
lasted a month and I attended every day ex- 
cept two. It was the greatest treat of my life. 

About the fifth of June I returned to my home 
in Detroit, Michigan. 

I traveled the three thousand miles alone, 
after spending seven delightful months in the 
"City of the Angels." 

"I sit and think, when the sunset's gold 
Is flash ing river and hill and shore. 

I shall one day stand by the water cold. 
And list to the sound of the boatman's oar ; 

I shall watch for a gleam of the snowy sail, 
I shall hear the boat as it gains the strand, 

I shall pass from sight, with the boatman pale, 
To the better shore of the spirit land. 

I shall know the loved who have gone before; 
And joyfully sweet will the meeting be, 

When over the river, the peaceful river, 
The angel of death shall carry me." 



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